Last updated: November 2026
Published by CRW Diversity
By the numbers
Published 2026 research shows a gap between how leaders see their accountability and how their managers see it, alongside persistent imbalances in who holds senior roles.
CRW Diversity collected these statistics from published sources to show why Celeste Warren's executive advisory focuses on systems as well as individuals. Each figure is quoted as published and linked to its source. None of these numbers are CRW Diversity's own research.
They show that good intentions and individual effort leave measurable gaps. When less than half of US leaders rate themselves outstanding at creating accountability and only 30 percent of managers rate their leaders that way, the problem is not only personal skill. It is how decisions, norms, and systems are experienced by others.
30%
of managers rate their leaders outstanding at creating accountability, while less than half of US leaders rate themselves that way (Gallup, 2026, n = 23,068).
82%
of 40,000 people surveyed either try and fail or avoid holding others accountable (Culture Partners, fieldwork 2011 to 2014, vendor funded).
Over 70%
of L&D professionals and functional leaders say it is important or very important for leaders to master a wider range of effective leadership behaviours to meet current and future business needs.
Over 85%
of managers who receive coaching outperform their peers in critical skills such as resilience and agility.
61%
of senior managers and directors are men.
46% and 15%
of senior managers and directors are white men and men of colour, respectively.
788%
is the most cited executive coaching ROI figure, and it comes from a single Fortune 500 case study published in 2001. The second most cited, a 7x median return, comes from a 2009 survey in which only 9 percent of respondents could supply the underlying figures.
These figures connect directly to the Accountability and Access elements of the Equity in Action Model: look beyond intentions to outcomes, and examine who has access to opportunity.
Back to the overview of executive advisory for leaders.
Because individual change rarely lasts if the systems around people do not change. Celeste Warren asks what within the organization is helping people succeed and what may be getting in their way: policies, practices, access to opportunity, leadership decisions, and unwritten norms. Her work examines how people lead and how organizations operate.
Read this answer in the full FAQTreat them with caution. According to Leaders ADAPT, the most cited 788 percent figure comes from a single Fortune 500 case study published in 2001, and the popular 7x median return comes from a 2009 survey in which only 9 percent of respondents could supply underlying figures. Judge any advisor on fit and approach.
Read this answer in the full FAQThe Equity in Action Model, created by Celeste Warren, gives leaders a practical way to examine how their decisions, behaviors, and organizational systems shape the experiences and opportunities of the people they lead. It has six elements: Awareness, Access, Advocacy, Action, Accountability, and Empowerment.
Read this answer in the full FAQAn executive is higher. Managers typically lead teams and carry out strategy, while executives set strategy, allocate resources, and are accountable for the organization’s overall results and culture. Both matter: Celeste Warren works with executives through advisory and briefings and with managers through programs such as Equity in Action for Managers.
Read this answer in the full FAQUse the contact form on the CRW Diversity website. Celeste’s work begins by understanding where you are, what you are trying to accomplish, and what may be standing in the way. From there you can decide whether executive advisory, a workshop, a briefing, or a combination fits.
Read this answer in the full FAQEvery engagement begins by understanding where you are, what you are trying to accomplish, and what may be standing in the way.
Contact CelestePublished by CRW Diversity
